Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Is it any wonder you war within your self when it comes to Eating that Cookie?
Or when you have 30 minutes .... and could, should .... Exercise?

ReFRAME how you think about

"taking care of you"

R E S P E C T

Yourself

Do you have 12 MINUTES ?
You can Lower risk of STROKE and HEART ATTACK by 27% by doing any moderate-intensity cardio exercise (for example, climbing stairs) 5 days a week

Do you have 2 MINUTES?
You can CUT MUSCLE PAIN by 37% and HEADACHES by 43% by doing "resistance-band exercise" 5 days a week.

Do you have 10 MINUTES?
You can ward off OBESITY and METABOLIC SYNDROME by vigorous running or biking once a day.

Do you have 15 MINUTES?
You may help decrease DEMENTIA risk by up to 38% by doing any moderate-intensity exercise 3 times a week.

Do you have 25 MINUTES?
You diminish PHYSICAL PAIN by 28% when you do Non-weight-bearing exercise

( More.com / December 2011/January 2012 Too Busy to Exercise Article)

So the next time

YOU SIT IN YOUR CHAIR ON YOUR... "A S K" ....me no more questions

When you think .... "hey, I should exercise"

Turn it in toI WANT TO EXERCISE

because it says

"I respect my body"

"I R E S P E C T ME"

Ahhhh, how I want to be at a place where I'd rather do 25 jumping jacks than shoval a box of See's Candy in to my mouth

I do know that after 25 jumping Jacks I feel invigorated, healthy... mind is clear
and After a box of See's Candy I feel content for a few minutes until I feel disgustingly fat and will experience a Sugar Hang over the next day (fatigue and depressed)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

When you indulge (yes, indulge) in a piece of pie, Chocolate Sweets, Bowl of Ice Cream you set yourself up for a Possible downward spiral.

You say, "oh, just one piece won't hurt".

But, ahhhhh how often are you honest that the one piece doesn't roll into another piece... and then move into saying "it's ok..... I'll exercise tomorrow".

This goes beyond "will power".

You've set in motion a chemical reaction when you "indulge"

in a little something sweet.

This chemical reaction alters the balance in your brain and body

and.... You WILL seek out more sugar

"Mr Wilson, May I be excused? My Brain is full"

Have you ever had a "sugar hang over"? Would you recognize it?

"Oh, I'm so tired today..."

or

"Oh, I'm feeling so emotional and I don't know why",

or

"Oh, my body just aches today"

or

"Oh, my mind is so foggy, I just can seem to focus"

or

"I don't know why but I feel so depressed today"

Now, I'm not so bold as to say there are not other reasons for these symptoms, only to say "IT COULD BE A SUGAR HANG OVER" or Sugar withdrawals.

Change your mental picture of "Sugar" (processed sugars).

If you saw a teaspoon of sugar no different that a teaspoon of cocaine... would you ingest it? Yikes.... I hope not. But for some reason we won't allow ourselves to think of something sweet and pleasant as sugar as a type of drug.

(News Flash: The billion dollar food industry pedals drugs!)

Refined SUGAR IS A DRUG in our BODY!

Don't you see that the HIGH of eating Sugar and how it alters your mood (temporarily) leads to debilitation symptoms?

SUGAR plays havoc on your health and well being.

Your relationship with Sugar can lead to Depression!

I say all this because I experienced quite a set back... the "oh, a little piece won't hurt" turned into me eating the WHOLE FREAKING BAG OF COOKIES!

It's taken day's to get back on track.... it truly altered my mood, energy level, my motivation to exercise, make healthy choices...

I had a re-awaking to how Amazing it is to "BE HEALTHY" and FEEL HEALTHY when I eating wholesome nutritious FOODS!

Come on... be honest. Dieting is NOT just about will power.

When you shoot up your body with Sugar your body responds by CRAVING more SUGAR! It's a chemical cascade!

Then your MIND say.... "oh, no... I won't, I shouldn't... but I will"

It's because this pure white substance is like a drug... no stop... go back...

This pure white substance IS A DRUG IN OUR BODY and we can become addicted or an habitual user.

We think it is. We have enough scientific evidence now to tell us that we can train ourselves to crave, to build tolerance and to experience withdrawal when we ingest a lot of refined sugar.

These are the hallmarks of addiction. Craving, tolerance and withdrawal.

Dr. Serge Ahmed, of Bordeaux, France, has been working with rats and giving them the choice between cocaine and sugar. Guess what wins, time and again? That's right, sugar.

The sweet taste of sugar is more rewarding than the high of cocaine.

Some people know they are sugar addicts and cannot handle it at all. They know because they can't stop eating it once they start. They crave sugary foods and they need more and more to feel satisfied.

They also experience withdrawal if they stop eating sugar.

We believe this is because of the effect sugar has on the brain. Sugar, like drugs of abuse, produces dopamine in the brain. The body's own happy, feel good, chemical. For some true sugar addicts, they need this to feel OK. When they eat sugar, they feel good. When it wears off, they need more. If they stop sugar for a period of time, their brains will begin to produce dopamine on their own. This takes some time, however. The problem lies in the fact that much of our default food is high in refined sugar and carbohydrates. Trying to avoid it, is very difficult. That combined with the discomfort of withdrawal, keeps many sugar addicts trapped in their addiction.

Link to information on "SUGAR"Processed white sugar is an addictive chemical (Sheppard, 1993). Processed sugars such as white, powdered, brown, molasses, and even honey have had some or all of their chemical bonds broken down between their basic components due to the amount of processing . Processed sugars present as a simple potent sugar which is easily and quickly absorbed by the body.

Processed sugars and carbohydrates, which turn into sugar, cause a rise in the insulin level of the blood. This also raises the endorphins level, a natural mood upper in the brain. These sugars causes the body to have a chemical high, mentally, which results in a lift in mood.

Continuous large doses of sugar and/or carbohydrates, overtime, usually cause the brain's endorphins sites to slow production or close sites to regulate the amount of endorphins in the brain. When the body cuts back on endorphin production it reduces the amount of endorphins available in the body at any given time. The lack of enough endorphin in the brain causes slight to deep depression

The difference between fructose, that is the natural sugar in fruit, and processed sugars is that fructose still has its chemical bonds intact. This causes the body to take a longer period of time to break down the different chemical bonds. As the body dissolves each type of sugar it is releases a moderate amount of sugar over time. This gives a continuous energy boost to the body and a slightly elevates mood (Whitney, Cataldo, & Rolfes, 1991).

Chemical sugar substitutes are not good substitutes for processed sugar. They, like the processed sugars retard the body's ability to lose weight. They stimulate the body's metabolism to crave more sweets (Baker & Baker, 1987; Rememington & Parent, 1983).

CIAO and Salute! to Your Health and WellnessThis blog is my inspiration in My journey to obtain true Health and Wellness

Hey, have you ever thought if you lost ONE POUND a week, in one year you'd lose 52 pounds!
Too bad it's easier to gain a pound a week than lose a pound a week.

My approach to "getting healthy" is a "Baby Step" mentality. Take it slow and easy and get r done.

So..... I'm still on the "recipe to lose weight" gig thing (see previous blogs this month)

Step ONE: ABCD thing (11/10/11 blog)
A - Admit your fat and need to get in shape
B - Background work about your Relationship with food
C - Check your habits: good, bad, lazy, sad
D - Discover yourself: who and what you are and what you want

DETOX and Fasting! Start any dieting with fasting and then begin to detox

Detox: (think Balance) Physically, Mentallyand Spiritually

Mentally detox your Thinking
I have a great book to read on how to do this.

It's by Dr. Caroline Leaf

"Who switched off my Brain".

This is a fabulous look into how we actually alter our brain by our thoughts. TRUE! Scientific proof that shows the damage, illness and disease caused by thoughts of unforgiveness, anger, fear. Fascinating book! She has a whole section on "how to detox" the brain.

Spiritually detox your soul. This is Paramount to your physical and mental well being. Why is it people are so afraid to act on the belief that we are "Spiritual Beings"? Is it because when we think of being "spiritual" we tend to think of being "Religious"? Stand up and be bold for what you think and believe.

Stop being intimidated by people and LIVE like you really BELIEVE your a spiritual being!

I'm not afraid of speaking what I believe. I believe we are spiritual beings that should serve the God that created us. I don't want to be like Eve (in the garden) and be deceived that I can be my own God. Every time I've tried that in the past I have either failed or been left feeling empty. Ok, enough

Physically detox your body.
One of the first books I found was by Don Colbert, MD books I read that opened my eyes about toxins. There are many good books that give step by step details on detoxing.
The latest is RAW FOOD CLEANSE by Penni Shelton.
*note: I DO NOT endorse colonic cleanses! As a Registered Nurse who has worked in Gastroenterology, I do not believe this is a healthy beneficial practice. I believe in a Natural colonic cleanse through diet, exercise and ... yes occasional fasting.

Believe it or not, but Kirstie Alley opened up the gateway to "Organic Dieting". I truly believe that toxins (pesticides) in our foods are one of the culprits of why one in three people in the US are OBESE! She is "right on" about the hazards of using "prepared diet meals" that are "PREPARED PROCESSED FOODS".

Let me simplify it (I like simple concepts)

Eat ORGANIC raw foods as much as possible ( Nutritious, full of FIBER foods!)

Flush with at least 8 glasses of water (don't count herbal tea or coffee which is a diuretic, or juice)

Exercise ! This frees your lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, lymph system to DETOX how it was intended.

FAST! Start out easy by fasting one meal a day

If it's process and if it's white... RUN!

Fasting:Try this: Monday to Thursday (let's be honest, weekends are a challenge ) Day one: Fast only Breakfast Day two: Fast only LunchDay three: Fast only Dinner (hardest meal to fast for most of us "grazers") Day four: Fast Breakfast and Lunch and Dinner! There are many forms of fasting. Some drink just water, other's drink juice. The point is can you say NO to food? The point is can you cleanse your system for a day and focus spiritually on taking charge of your "eating". If you have difficulty fasting.... it's a spiritual battle! You're resistant to denying yourself something. You're not respecting your own desires. You're in a battle with yourself. Deal with it Spiritually! Hey, try this: Try for one day (better if you do it for 5 days Mon-Fri) NO FOOD after 6 pm! Talk about a challenge!V I T A M I N S
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "vitamin guru" A Multi Vitamin is needed, and the newest research about Vitamin D! absolutely. High incidences of Cancer with low Vitamin D levels. Link to Vitamin D info:Go to this link and read this:If you are obese,Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells, altering its release into the circulation. People with abody mass indexof 30 or greater often have low blood levels of vitamin D. HUMMMMM!

Well,
I'm probably the worst at remembering to take my vitamins.

However, I have no problem drinking an EmergenC mixed with KYO Green every morning. It's the "Pill" thing. I must have an adversion due to something ...... ok, I need therapy! hahahaVITAMINS! I'm really liking "Garden of Life" vitamins. It's a product from Jordan Rubin (link)
Check out Jordan Rubin's story of how through diet WON the Battle with Crohns Disease
(fascinating and encouraging true story)

One last thing about Detox and Fasting.... POOPING!Did you know:Dr. Kellogg lived to be ninety-one. He was a noted physician and surgeon who believed all diseases were due to improper functioning of the colon - primarily constipation. One of his patients was C.W. Post, These two men developed many of the cereals marketed around the world today including Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Post Toasties.! In the early days these cereals were filled with colon-cleansing fiber. Over time, however, processing methods have reduced the fiber content drastically.

I'll END with that! Poop yourself to health and wellness!

Ciao
(I think my blogs are repeating themselves) Time to go and watch "What about Bob" I need a laugh

Thursday, November 10, 2011

So today I was thinking about how I could answer that question as simple as possible

HOW "did" I lose the menopausal weight?

I thought of losing weight being like.... "Wanting to Bake a Cake"!
You need the right Recipe.
(funny way to think of "how to lose weight" as "how to bake a cake")

But it's true,

If you wanted a CAKE

could you just stick a

Cake pan in the OVEN

and

HOPE for a Cake?

Of course not! You need to have the right ingredients and follow a great recipe

Isn't that true for most of what we want out of life.... it takes gathering the right "Truth"
Using time and energy as we measure it out, our energy and commitment to see it through, and then putting it in the Oven and having patience's (waiting) while it takes time for aroma of success to unfold. (well, kind of dumb, but you get the picture, right?)

Oh sure,
people want to just POP a pill in to their body,

like you POP a cake pan in the Oven and HOPE to get results! W A K E U P and Smell the stupidity!

So, I'm going to endeavor to write a type of recipe for Losing Weight.

I think, I think I got it....
Just like any recipe, if you forget an ingredient... it won't turn out right.
Like forgetting baking powder.... FLAT CAKE! Or just throwing a bunch of ingredients into a cake pan and sticking that in the oven ... Oh forget it... what a mess!
Seriously, You need to follow all the steps, not leave out any ingredients and properly prepare the cake batter before putting it in the oven. Same truth applies here!

(get ready, it may get brutal)

The First steps in the Recipe are as simple as A B C D

"A"DMITSoul search WHY Are YOU FAT? - ahhh Admit YOUR FAT

"Hi my name is Dumb-Dumb and I am Fat"

What? you think you're really hiding the fact that you're fat, or pretending you're ok being a "little overweight"? Come on... 20 lbs over weight is like carrying around another person (ok, a toddler)

We are a judgmental, critical and may I say hypocritical society. Don't kid yourself, people DO judge you by how you look. Ever hear of "first impressions"? You're look is your first impression. It shouts out either:
"I respect myself, therefore I take care of myself"
"I don't respect myself therefore I neglect myself"
OUCH

THIS IS NUMBER "ONE" to a weight loss program: Respecting yourselfYou heard me..... deal with it! Yes, it hurts! That why we avoid admitting the truth.

IF your BMI (body mass index) is:
25 to 29.99 You are OVERWEIGHT30 to 34.99 You are OBESE (class one)
35 to 39.99 You are OBESE (class two)
40 or Greater... YOU ARE MORBIDLY OBESE!

a waist circumference over 102 cm (40 in) in men and over 88 cm (35 inches) in women.

If you don't believe you "really" have a problem (you're in denial) and you will

fail at any attempts to lose weight.

you can't change something you don't really believe needs to be changed

What so bad about being a little overweight? Are you saying "so what" I'm happy?
Excuse me but I need to say that Overweight people are NOT healthy people because they are at risk for Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease to name the TOP two!

Being FAT IS NOT HEALTHY!

No one who is FAT is or will ever be considered "healthy"

(activity and exercise is not where you start in this recipe - FOOD is the Number one problem with obesity, Exercise is the FROSTING on the CAKE)

*Note: although most would like to say "my weight problem is due to a metabolic problem" (thyroid being THE number one EXCUSE), it may be.

But real excuses or not ....YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM

Take responsibility for your health, please. Yes, Menopause is a culprit to weight gain (especially in the waist) BUT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

YOU are a victim by choice

STOP being a Prisoner in your BODY!

"B"ackground Work
Take a SERIOUS look at your relationship with FOODYes, you may not know this but you have a RELATIONSHIP with food.
It can be a love, hate or addictive relationship, but I guarantee it is a Relationship.
It started when you were born, bottle fed, breast fed.... how you were brought up,
culture ........... ah, the Italian mother... "eat something.... manga"

Reason you're fat: C O U L D I T B E?

Is it because you have a unhealthy relationship with food?

Is it because you have poor habits?

Is it because you have NO respect for your body?

Is it because you're feeding the demons inside you, trying to sooth them?

* demons: unforgiveness, anger, FEAR

"C"heck your Habits

HABITS! Eating is a habitual event in our lives.

We eat without giving much thought to

why,

when

or

where

we are eating....

if it's there ....WE EAT.

If we're bored, we eat

If we're stressed, we eat

If we're celebrating we eat

If we're socializing, having a business meeting....

If it looks good, we eat it

WE freak'n Eat just because ... we have a relationship with food

It's obvious food has become an indulgent passion... cooking shows, TV commercials, advertisements.FLIP, even our beauty products smell so good we wish we could eat them!

About Me

Born in San Diego, CA into a large "Pentecostal" Sicilian Family. Raise by amazing Parents and had three Sisters. Married, blessed with three fabulous Children. Widowed and experienced going to college to earn a BSN In Nursing. Worked as a Registered Nurse while raising children as a Single Mom. Re-Married and blessed with a blended family of 6 adult kids and ELEVEN Brilliant Grandchildren. This blog of my personal journey for Health and Wellness is dedicated to my BIG FAMILY whom I love. As my Wise dearly departed Father would say "It's all about the Family".